Will Sheppard NFL Draft 2025: Scouting Report for Colorado WR

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 198

HAND: 9⅞"

ARM: 32¼"

WINGSPAN: 78⅛"

40-YARD DASH: 4.54

SHUTTLE: 4.31

VERTICAL: 40.5"

BROAD: 10'11"

POSITIVES

— Attacking and defeating zone coverages.

— Collision and physical combat-catcher against contact.

— Acrobatic catches with outstanding body control and tracking.

NEGATIVES

— Average at best athletic ability.

— Consistent counters and releases against physical press corners.

— Lacks explosiveness and top-end speed for vertical consistency.

NOTES

— Born Feb. 11, 2002

— 3-star recruit in 2020 class, per 247Sports 

— 2022 Second-Team All-SEC

— Father played football at Louisiana Tech; Mother played volleyball at Louisiana Tech

OVERALL

Sheppard is a solid route-runner. He attacks leverage with jab steps at the line of scrimmage. He displays adequate short-area quickness to maneuver around defensive backs and get into his routes.

Sheppard uses subtle movements against off-coverage defenders to clear them and evade disrupting contact. He creates decent space and separation at the top of his routes.

Sheppard thrives against zone coverages. He finds soft spots within the coverage in the short-to-intermediate areas of the defense and works around spot-droppers to settle into the voids.

Sheppard excels at playing through contact at the catch point and after the catch. He is a dynamic leaper with outstanding body control. That allows him to make difficult and acrobatic catches on contested throws and back-shoulder fades. 

Sheppard does not possess the vertical explosiveness to outrun defensive backs off the line of scrimmage. He struggles to win early without successful releases to counter bump-and-run coverage. Despite his adequate play strength, Sheppard gets hung up against physical corners. He lacks the hand usage to counter defensive punches.

Sheppard projects as a red-zone threat and a lanky ball winner in the NFL. His lack of raw athletic ability and speed will make it difficult for him to consistently find success against NFL athletes.

GRADE: 5.6 (Backup/Draftable — 6th/7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 294

POSITION RANK: WR45

PRO COMPARISON: Mohamed Massaquoi

Written by B/R NFL Scout Dame Parson